Wire bending machines



Jan. 20, 1959 J. H. HOERN 2,869,590

WIRE BENDING MACHINES .Filed Jan. 20, 1955 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR dn /L/ifl/oem.

BY l wm ATTORNEYJ Jan. 20,

Filed Jan. 20, 1955 J. H. HOERN WIRE BENDING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.

ATTORNEY6 United States WIRE BENDING MACHINES Joseph H. Hoern, Saginaw, Mich., assignor t Saginaw Wire Products Inc., Saginaw, Mich.

Application January 20, 1955, Serial No. 482,940 7 Claims. or. 140-71 if atent industries particularly and are required in large numbers in varying lengths, diameters and shapes.

Briefly, the instant machine comprises dies and die bar slides mounted in generally opposing relation, work supports between these members and located out of the path of the slides, quasi-rigid members for moving the slides and cams for actuating the quasi-rigid members in timed sequence to progressively bend a wire to shape.

Machines of this type must be designed so that a minimum changeover time is required when it is necessary to change from the manufacture of one wire shape to another. Accordingly, a further object of the invention is to design a machine wherein the dies, die slides, and work support members are adjustably mounted and can be rapidly adjusted or removed and replaced with other dies, slides, and work supports when a wire of different shape is to be formed. Conventionally, wires of different shapes are stock-piled so that quantities of various forms will be available, however, with the instant machine which is capable of rapidly shifting over from the production of one wire shape to another without undue loss of time, the practice of stock-piling can be eliminated and valuable storage space can be conserved.

Still another object of the invention is to design a very flexible, high precision wire bending machine in which the cams employed can be somewhat roughly cut and need not be precision ground in order to achieve the desired accuracy of bend, the machine incorporating various rigid take-ups which can be adjusted to compensate for cam inaccuracies and for changes in the diameter of the work where it is desirable to bend wires of different diameter to the same shape. With such a machine the dies and other elements of the machine will not be damaged by minor inaccuracies in the cams or other elements.

Another object of the invention is to design a wire bending machine in which movable die slides are disposed on opposed sides of the workand slides which are employed to grip and hold the work initially may later in the bending sequence be moved in either direction to bend the wire as desired.

A further object of the invention is to design a very practical machine in which the driving connection to the bending slide is rigid in nature and the bending operation is positive and sharp, and turns out precision bent wires.

Another object of the invention is to design a machine of this type in which scrappage is held to a minimum, the bending being progressively accomplished in an easy and natural manner without deforming or fracturing the wire at the point of bend or creating torsional or other stresses therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine in which the formed wire falls free of the die units onto a conveyor or into a hopper at the completion of the bending sequence so that stripper means or the like need not be employed.

Another object of the invention is to design a wire bending machine of the type described in which the various elements, except for the dies and the dwell of the cams, can be uniform in nature without limiting the wide range of bending operations which can be performed or the diverse sequencing of which the machine is capable.

A still further object of the invention is to design a very simple machine of rugged and durable construction which can be very economically manufactured and with which bending operations can be performed in a highly economical manner on a mass production scale.

'With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that equivalent changes may be made in the various elements of the invention, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the wire bending machine, portions of the slide housings and slides being broken away in the interests of clarity.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, top plan view of a portion thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the machine illustrating the means for driving the various elements, certain of the mechanism being broken away to show elements therebehind.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional plan view taken on A the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional plan view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary plan view taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, transverse, sectional view taken on the line '7-7 and illustrating the means for feeding wires individually to the machine and the means for actuating the die slides.

Fig. 8 is an edge elevational view of one of the bell crank members only.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, transverse sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings wherein I'have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, a letter F generally designates the frame of my novel wire bending machine which comprises end walls 2t connected by lower brace rods 21 and upper guide rails 22a and 22]), both the rods 21 and rails 22a and 22b Mounted on the armature shaft 26a of the motor is I adrive pulley 28, and a belt 29 trained therearound drives.

a wheel 30 which is fixed on a shaft 31. The wheel 30 is flanged as at-32 to confine the belt and has an annular hand grip ring "33 provided thereon so that the wheel 2,869,590 Patented Jan. 20, 1959 3 may be manipulated by hand. The shaft 31 is supported in a bearing 31a as shown in Fig. 5, and the multi-purpose wheel 30 is of sutficient weight to serve as a fly wheel. A gear 34 onthe shaft 31 drives a gear 35 on the cam shaft 25a which-inturn drives an idler 'ge'ar' 36on' a stu'bfshaft"37 which" is' employed to transmit ro-tative motion to the camshaft 2511 through an idler gear'38 on a stub-shaft 38wanda gear 39 on the camshaft 25b.

The shafts25a and 25bare journaled in bearings 40 and 41respectively which are, of course, supported on the end 'walls 20.

Also provided on the wheel 30 is a brake drum portion 42 and'a'friction' brake band 43 trained partially therearound permits slowing and stopping of the camshafts 25a and 25b as desired. A clip 44 on the one end of the brake band 43 is secured to a rod on the end wall 20 of the-frame as at 45 and the opposite end of the band is"secured to a vertically disposed rod 46 of rectangular crossse'ction as at 47. Slidably, but non-rotatably supporting the rod 45, is a channel member 48 which is fixed to a bracket 49 forming a portion of a solenoid plunger cylinder 50, the latter cylinder being fixed to the end wall 20 in any suitable manner. The solenoid plunger 51in the cylinder 50 has a bifurcated end secured to the lower end of the rod 46 and clearly when desired a suitable electrical control may be energized to actuate the rod 46. It will be seen that the upper end of the rod 46 extends above the member 48 and that a spring S under compression is mounted on this upper end of the rod between the member 48 and a head 46a on the upper end of the rod. When the plunger 51 is in down position (Fig. 3) the band 43 is loose on the drum 42; however, when the solenoid plunger 51 is energized and moves upwardly, the spring S is free to draw theband 43 upwardly and vapply the desired braking force.

Clearly; a pneumatic cylinder could be employed in place of the cylinder 50 or any other suitable mechanism could belusedto actuate the rod 46.

A pair of adjusting plates 52 and 53 which may be secured to the end walls 20 between the rails 22 at each end by screws 54 or the like serve to maintain the rails The plates 52 and 53 include matching inclined faces (see Fig. 9) and relative vertical adjustment of one of the plates or blocks in a given direction can be eifected when necessary so that the rails can be maintained absolutely level. The rails 22a and 22b have T sl-ots'55 formed in the upper face thereof to receive the downwardly projecting socket head cap screws 56 and 57 which secure die slide housings 58 and the so-called fixed or stationary dies 59 respectively in adjusted position on the rails 22a and22b. The screws 56 and 57 have threaded engagement with nuts 56a and 57a which cannot be revolved in .the slots 55 and clearly these transversely disposed members 58 and 59 may be easily secured in longitudinally spaced position and as readily released and either adjusted longitudinally or removed entirely from the rails 22a and 22b. The dies 55 are fixed in the sense that they are secured by the bolts 56 and 57 in longitudinally spaced relation during the wire bending operation, but clearly they can be released from the rails and also adjusted v longitudinally or removed. Mounted in the housings. Share slides 68 and as will be seen, .(Fig. 7) 1 various combinations of the members 58 and 59 will be mounted in generally oppositely disposed relation on the guide rails 22a and 22b. The upper faces of the inner ends of the slides fit may be recessed as at 61 and die 7 heads 62 of various configuration secured thereon to form the wire as desired. Similarly, the dies 59 will be of varying configuration depending on the shape of the linear-lengths of wire to be fed therebetween in any suitable manner and generally L-shaped supports 63 pro- 4t vided with wire receiving grooves 63a and located out of the path of any of the slides 60 will be employed to support the work prior to the time it is engaged by any of the dies. The supports 63 are removably supported on the guide rails 25a and 25b, the rails having inverted T slots 64 as before to receive the socket head cap screws 65 and nuts 66 which secure the supports 63 in position. As will be seen, the supports'63 are so arranged on the rails that the wires drop through the rails to a receptacle or conveyor between the rails after the bending operation wardly by a plunger rod 69a to support the succeeding length of wire to insure that only a single length of wire is dropped.

In Fig. 5, I have shown means for actuating the gripping slides which I shall designate a and a, and it is to be understood that virtually identical means is employed to actuate all of the slides 60. The actuating.

cams 24, could, of course, vary in shape anddiaineter dependent on the distance the slide is to move and the 7 time during the bending cycle when the particular slide is to be actuated, However, one of the unique features of the machine is that the cams can all be of the same diameter as will later be explained. Each cam 24 is prefera'bly formed in two sections which are bolted together I as at 70 and as shown a plurality of key slots 71 are provided in the carnshaftsZSa and 25b to receive the key 72,it being obvious that the cams 24 are adjustableon the camshafts 25a and 25b to vary the sequence of aetua tionas desired. Provided in the under face of each guide rail 22a and 22b is a longitudinal T slot 73 and" transversely spaced support arms 74 are removably secured in position on the rails by bolts 75. Pivotall'y se cured as at 76 to the outer end of each arm 74 is'a bell crank member which includes a body section 76a having" a follower arm 76b thereon, the'follower arm having-a roller 77 adapted to ride on the particular cam 24 as usual.

The front end of each section 76:: is bifurcated as at 78 as shown and a bar 79 is pivotally secured to the section76a at 3%; The bars 79 are of suflicient length to extend up through slots 31 in the lower wall of each slide housing 58 and into recess 82 in the slide 60 therein.

Provided in the front marginal wall of each recess 82 is a rocker pin 83 which is slotted as at 84 to accommodate the upper corner of the particular bar 79 and a spring biased bearing member 85 is provided in a spring chamber 86 in engagement with each rocker pin 83. Screws 87 threaded in the outer portions of the chambers 86 serveto' compress springs $8 which, of course, tend to urge the members 85 inwardly. While the elongated bars 79 are rigid members preferably constructed of steel, they will have a limited flexibility becausethey are supported at one end only. Provided in the bell crank sections 75 are threaded bores 89 with screws 90 therein.- The front ends fitla of the screws'extend through thesections 75 into engagement with thebars 79 and can-exert? sufficient pressures thereon to compensate for cam inaccuracies or for dififerences in the diameter of the wire stock which in listed stock diameters will have certain variances; Further, the screws 99 may be adjusted when wire ofa diameter slightly greater'or less than that of v the wireibeing processed is to be intentionally fed-to the machine.

The slides 60 have spaced apart, vertical slots 19L in the front positions thereof providing. the -operatortwith access to the bolts 56 and 57. Mounted on the slides .60:

are lugs 92 and slide return springs 93 are secured between the lugs 92 and ears 94 on the rear ends of the slide housings 58 by members 95 and 96, the latter members 96 being in threaded engagement as at 97 with the ears 94 so that the force exerted by the springs 93 may be adjusted.

In operation, the camshafts 25a and 25b are continuously driven by the motor 26 and during the period of dwell when the slides 60 are all in outward position, a wire W of selected length is dropped from the hopper 67 to the supports 63 between the guide rails 22a and 2212' and the die members mounted thereon. It will be observed that the earns 24 may be formed with an identical dwell portion 24a (see Fig. 7) and can be of the same maximum diameter when the distance traveled by the respective slides is identical; however, the die heads 62 will in this instance, of course, vary in length. Once the wire W has been dropped into position on the supports 63, identical earns 24 on each camshaft 25a and 25b thence pivot their respective bell crank members 76a about their pivot pins 76 and force the slides a and a inwardly to grip the wire as in Fig. 7.

The die heads on these particular slides a and a are designed to grip the wire only and support it during the bending cycle. A cam 24 on the camshaft 2511 may thence pivot its bell crank member and actuate a slide b forwardly toward a stationary die b to bend the wire laterally and thereafter another cam 24 on the camshaft 25b could move a slide 0 forwardly toward a stationary die c'on the guide rail 22a to bend the wire reversely. The

bending operation could, of course, continue with additional slides 60 actuated in timed sequence and finally when the rollers 77 preferably simultaneously dropped into the dwells 24a in their respective cams 24, the springs 93 would be free to return the slides 60 to original position. The supports 63 are positioned relative to the bends which are to be made in the wire and as shown in Fig. 6, the finished wire will be free to drop to a conveyor or the like underneath the rails 22a and 22b which would carry it away from the machine. The slides a and a which are actuated 'to initially grip the wire and hold it while bends in it are formed by other slides and dies could be actuated in either direction later in the bending sequence to impart a bend to the portion of the wire which was initially held. The cam shown in Fig. 7 might have a recess therein to effectuate this movement and, of course, other slides and dies would hold the wire during this portion of the operation. The possibility of bending in this manner, if desired, adds versatility to the machine and increases the range of bending operations which can be carried out. Further, since movable slides are disposed on both sides of the work, the capacity of the machine for making bends in a lateral direction is in a sense doubled without increasing the stroke of the slides and sacrificing rigidity and operation time.

When the machine is to be shut down, it is, of course, desirable that the cams be stopped when the followers 77 are riding in the dwell portions 24a thereof, and all the slides are in retracted position ready for the next bending operation. Accordingly, an electrical control energizing the solenoid plunger 51 will be actuated as the springs' 93 are retracting the slides to move the plunger upwardly and permit the spring S to move the rod 46 upwardly. force is applied to draw the band 43 into tight, frictional engagement with the drum portion 42 and the momentum of the parts will be prevented from moving the slides forwardly into the bending operation after the motor 26 has been tie-energized. Further, the hand wheel 33 can be used to adjust the cams to any desired angular position after the machine has been stopped.'

The simple construction of the machine wherein the mounting rails 22a and 22b also function to space and locate the end plates and wherein the rails and the space therebetween can be as long as desired so that .1 63 is In this manner, a controlled braking really no limit to the length of wire stock which could be processed, is insofar as I know, unique in machines of this nature. Since the dies and slides perform the bending operation above the end walls, the wire can be of greater length than the rails and still drop between the end walls after it has been formed since clearly, the length of the wire will be decreased during the bending operation. Thus, valuable floor space may be conserved with a machine which need not be as long as the stock it processes. Additionally, the novel construction of the bell crank members in combination with the slides provides multiple adjustment or take-up possibilities which compensate for minor inaccuracies in the design and the cams or the like and permit a fine control of the holding or gripping pressure exerted by the slides a and a. For example, a minor inaccuracy in the diameter of a cam 24 may be taken care of by adjusting the screw 87. If the dies 59 and housings 58 were set to process wire of one diameter and it was desired to process wire of a different diameter, slight adjustment of the screws could render it unnecessary to change the die slide heads 62. Further, while the bar 79 is a rigid member and operates to bring the slides solidly into bending engagement with the wire, still it is supported at only one end and is of such cross section as to have a certain flexibility sufficient to compensate for wear of the moving parts and very minor inaccuracies and prevent damage to the dies. Since the bars 79 impart their movement to the long-wearing rock pins 83, the slides 64) will always work freely and will not jam. Any back lash on the return stroke of the slides 60 will be taken up by the springs d3.

It should be apparent that I have designed a very practical wire bending machine which offers innumerable advantages not heretofore attained.

It is to be understood that the drawings and descriptive matter are in all cases to be interpreted as illustrative of the invention rather than as limiting the scope thereof and that various equivalent changes may be made in the various elements comprising the invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the ap pended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a wire bending machine, a frame, slide housings and dies mounted thereon in generally opposite relation a spaced distance apart, means for holding a wire be-- tween said housings and dies, die bar slides in said housings, cams for controlling the slides, bell crank members supported adjacent each of said cams, each bell crank member having a roller on one end riding on the cam associated therewith, an elongated bar forming the opposite end of each bell crank member pivotally mounted on the other portion of the bell crank member of which it is a part, said bars being of such cross sectional di mension relative to their length as to possess a limited flexibility, aroller pin in each slide adapted to be engaged by the outer end of one of said bars, a spring pressed pin holding the outer end of each bar in engagement with one of said roller pins, and means driving said cams to thereby pivot said bell crank member and actuate said slides toward said dies.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which adjusting screws in said bell crank members between the points of pivotal connection of said bars and the outer ends of said bars bear on said bars in a direction to press them toward said roller pins.

3. In a wire bending machine, a frame connected by a pair of spacedapart, parallel rails at its upper end, said rails being of identically rectangular cross section and having inverse T-slots extending substantially the lengths of the rails formed in the upper, lower and the adjacent side faces thereof, slide housings extending transversely in a direction perpendicular to said rails mounted on the upper face of each rail, die members mounted on the upper face of each rail generally opposite said slide housings, die slides in said housings movable perpendicularly relative to 'said rails, brackets mounted in the slots in'said side faces for Supporting a wire between said slidesand'die members,means for supplying a wire to said brackets at adefined location'between said slides and die members, said brackets extending to said locationand"terminating substantially thereat, arms'mounted in the slotsin the lower faces of said rails under each slide,

socket headed threaded members carried byeach of said bell crank member carrying an elongated bar pivotally secured theretoat' one end and having an opposite end extending from the said bell crank member into engage ment with a slide, an adjusting screw in each bell crank member bearing on the bar thereon to force it in a general direction toward said wire, camshafts under each rail, cams on said shafts in engagement with said bell crank members arranged to pivot the same and sequentially actuate said slides inwardly to bend said wire, and spring means returning said slides to position when permitted to do so by said cams.

4. In a wire bending machine; a frame assembly; means for supporting an elongate Wire in longitudinal disposition on said frame assembly; elongate, parallel guides extending longitudinally supported by said frame assembly on opposite sides of said means for supporting the wire; a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart, 'sep arate, slide housings in generally opposed relation on opposite sides of said wire supporting means mounted for movement on said guides longitudinally, and extending transversely to said guides; inter-fitting means on said slide housings interfitting with means extending longitudinally along said guides for securing said housings'in various longitudinal positions on both sides of the wire to be bent; transversely extending die slides for said housings reciprocably movable relative to said housings transversely toward and away from the wire; dies for said slides; and cam means for moving said slides on opposite sides of the wire in timed sequence to progressively bend said wire.

5. In a Wire bending machine; a frame assembly; a pair of elongate, parallel rails supported in spaced apart relation by said frame; Wire support members carried by and movable on at least one of said rails for supporting an elongate wire between said rails in substantially parallel alignment therewith; interiitting means on said rail carrying said wire support members extending longitudinally along said rail interfitting with means on said wire support members for securing said wire support members in various longitudinal positions on said rail which will be clear of the wire after it is bent; a pair of spaced apart' relation on opposite sides of said wire support means'and wire mounted for movement on said rails longitudinally and extending transversely to said rails; interfitting means on said slide housings interfitting with means' on said rails extending longitudinally along said rails for securing" said-housings iii-various longitudinal positions onfbo th sides of 't'he'wire tobe bent; transversely extending die slides forsaid' housings reciprocably movable relative to said housingstransverselytoward and away from the wire; dies for saidslides; camson said cam shafts for 7 moving said slides on opposite sides of thewire in timed sequence to progressively bend the wire; lever means, movable on said rails longitudinally and carried thereby,

operatively 'interposed between said slides and cams'for transmitting the throw of the cams to the slides; and interfitting meanson said lever means interfitting with means on said rails extending longitudinally along 'said rails for securing said lever means in various longitudinal positions.

6. In a wire bending machine; a frameassembly; means for supporting an elongate wire in longitudinal disposition on said frame assembly; slide housing means on said frame assembly; transversely disposed longitudinally spaced apartdie slidesfor said housings movable relative to said housings transversely toward and away from the wire; dies for said slides; cam means for moving said slides in timed sequence to progressively bend said wire; and levers operatively interposed between said cam means and'said slides for'transmitting the throw of saidcams to I said slides; said levers including elongate, defiectable; cantilever bars operatively engaging said slides, each of which is supported at one end only; and force exerting means for'varying'the deflectability of said bars in the general transverse plane of movement of said'slides; p 7. Ina Wire bending machine; a frame assembly; means forsupporting an elongate wire in longitudinal disposition on said frame assembly; slide housing means on'said frame assembly; transversely disposed, longitudinally spaced apart die slides for said housing means movable relative thereto transversely toward and away from the wire; dies' for "said slides; cam means for moving s'aid slides inti'rned sequence to progressively bendsaid wire;

and'l ev ei assemblie's operatively interposed betweensaid cam ineansfand said "slides for transmitti'ng the throw of said "ca s t'o 'said'slides; said lever assemblies including yieldable parts yieldable in the general, transverse plane of movement of said slides; and'means for varying the yield'abilityof said parts. p v I References Cited in the' file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 687,753 Hoeffer Dec. 13, 1901 801,449 Ferris Oct. 10, 1905 1,613,281 Lewis Jan. 4, 1927 2,202,275 Tulloch May28, 1940 2,450,920 v Shand Oct. 12, 1948 2,549,061; 1 Dauenhauer Apr. 17, 1951 2,659,408 Klemm Nov. 17, 1953 2,659,409 Klemm Nov. 17, 1953 2,702,576 Eidal Feb. 22, 1955 

